Does anyone know if HCV patients can take prednisone for low platelets? I didn't think to ask my doctor about that. I have never treated and was just informed that I am not eligible for any clinical trials because my platelets are too low. I am Geno 1A, stage 2+ (last platelet count 79,000). I am now just wondering if there is anything I can do to raise my platelets before I start the triple therapy.

The interferon lowers your platelets. If you start the game with low platelets, you will not make it through treatment. I don't know of anything that raises platelets, drugs or otherwise. Best of luck to you.

The interferon lowers your platelets. If you start the game with low platelets, you will not make it through treatment. I don't know of anything that raises platelets, drugs or otherwise. Best of luck to you.

Many people have initiated therapy with plats at the level yours are at now,however special monitoring needs to be in place:
Below is a comprhensive presentation on managing and treatingHCV with low platletsby CCO;

Many people have initiated therapy with plats at the level yours are at now,however special monitoring needs to be in place:
Below is a comprhensive presentation on managing and treatingHCV with low platletsby CCO;

First, Prednisone is not a medicine used to raise platelets. It is a steroid drug that is particularly effective as an immunosuppressant drug. For example, people that have had transplants take immunosuppressant s for your body doesn't reject the foreign organ.

Platelets are used by the body to stop it from bleeding. When you get a cut platelets surround the cut to seal the wound and stop the bleeding.

You say you have 80,000 platelets normally. What is the reason for this? Do you have bone marrow production issues or something similar?
Normally for a person with hepatitis C for many decades having a platelet count less than 100,000 is the first sign indication of stage 4 cirrhosis of the liver. When was your last biopsy done? In the last 3 years? You say you are stage 2, correct?

Are you seeing a gastroenterologist who treats patients with liver disease? What do they say about your low platelet count? What is the diagnosis? There seems to be some miscommunications between yourself and your doctor. If you have thrombocytopenia for some reason other than liver disease you should be aware of it and be treated if possible.

Given that you have a platelet count of 80,000 you still might be able to treat. Many people have treated with less platelets. It all depends on how your body responses to interferon. The platelet count will go lower but as long as it doesn’t go below 20,000 it should not be an issue. The only way you will know is to try treatment and see what happens.

If you don’t have cirrhosis a gastroenterologist is fine for treating you. If you have cirrhosis, then you should see a hepatologist at a transplant center as they are the only doctors qualified to treat you and they have the resourses to get you through treatment. I.E. transfusions.

First, Prednisone is not a medicine used to raise platelets. It is a steroid drug that is particularly effective as an immunosuppressant drug. For example, people that have had transplants take immunosuppressant s for your body doesn't reject the foreign organ.

Platelets are used by the body to stop it from bleeding. When you get a cut platelets surround the cut to seal the wound and stop the bleeding.

You say you have 80,000 platelets normally. What is the reason for this? Do you have bone marrow production issues or something similar?
Normally for a person with hepatitis C for many decades having a platelet count less than 100,000 is the first sign indication of stage 4 cirrhosis of the liver. When was your last biopsy done? In the last 3 years? You say you are stage 2, correct?

Are you seeing a gastroenterologist who treats patients with liver disease? What do they say about your low platelet count? What is the diagnosis? There seems to be some miscommunications between yourself and your doctor. If you have thrombocytopenia for some reason other than liver disease you should be aware of it and be treated if possible.

Given that you have a platelet count of 80,000 you still might be able to treat. Many people have treated with less platelets. It all depends on how your body responses to interferon. The platelet count will go lower but as long as it doesn’t go below 20,000 it should not be an issue. The only way you will know is to try treatment and see what happens.

If you don’t have cirrhosis a gastroenterologist is fine for treating you. If you have cirrhosis, then you should see a hepatologist at a transplant center as they are the only doctors qualified to treat you and they have the resourses to get you through treatment. I.E. transfusions.

I was able to complete 48 weeks of treatment with my platelets starting around 80,000, went as low as 29,000 before bouncing back up some. You really do need a good hepatologist whos dealt with this many times......... Best to you

I was able to complete 48 weeks of treatment with my platelets starting around 80,000, went as low as 29,000 before bouncing back up some. You really do need a good hepatologist whos dealt with this many times......... Best to you

Thank you everyone for the responses. I got my second opinion from a hepatologist (Dr. Stuart Gordon) and he will oversee my triple therapy treatment at the beginning of the new year so I feel pretty comfortable with that. I see him again in December.

I had low platelet issues more than 10 years ago when I had skin cancer and a bone marrow biopsy was done at that time. I had a liver biopsy in Sept. 2010 and that showed the stage 2+ fibrosis.

I've had regular blood tests since I found out I have HCV and my platelets have jumped up and down from Sept. 2010 til now (from 92,000 high to a low of 73,000) but I have to say, no one really seemed too concerned about the low platelets in relation to treatment other than when I tried to get into a clinical trial. I was just hoping there was some way to raise my platelet count before I start the triple therapy.

Thank you everyone for the responses. I got my second opinion from a hepatologist (Dr. Stuart Gordon) and he will oversee my triple therapy treatment at the beginning of the new year so I feel pretty comfortable with that. I see him again in December.

I had low platelet issues more than 10 years ago when I had skin cancer and a bone marrow biopsy was done at that time. I had a liver biopsy in Sept. 2010 and that showed the stage 2+ fibrosis.

I've had regular blood tests since I found out I have HCV and my platelets have jumped up and down from Sept. 2010 til now (from 92,000 high to a low of 73,000) but I have to say, no one really seemed too concerned about the low platelets in relation to treatment other than when I tried to get into a clinical trial. I was just hoping there was some way to raise my platelet count before I start the triple therapy.

I don't know if they will start on a med before starting treatment. But the drug Promacta can help your platelets to stay up enough to continue treatment. Talk to your doctor. I'm on my second round tx and have been put on promacta both times. good luck to you.

I don't know if they will start on a med before starting treatment. But the drug Promacta can help your platelets to stay up enough to continue treatment. Talk to your doctor. I'm on my second round tx and have been put on promacta both times. good luck to you.

I was diagnosed with ITP, which is a platelet disorder, a couple of years before I was diagnosed with Hep C. My platelets stayed in the 40,000 range. My hepatologist didn't want to do the biopsy until my platelets were higher so I went through gamma globulin infusions for a week before the biopsy. It brought my platelets up to 136,000 for a couple of weeks and I got the biopsy. Make a long story short. I went through tx for 48 weeks and my platelets didn't pose a problem. The lowest they got was 36,000. You will have to be monitored closely though. Some people's platelets lower with interferon. Mine didn't.

I was diagnosed with ITP, which is a platelet disorder, a couple of years before I was diagnosed with Hep C. My platelets stayed in the 40,000 range. My hepatologist didn't want to do the biopsy until my platelets were higher so I went through gamma globulin infusions for a week before the biopsy. It brought my platelets up to 136,000 for a couple of weeks and I got the biopsy. Make a long story short. I went through tx for 48 weeks and my platelets didn't pose a problem. The lowest they got was 36,000. You will have to be monitored closely though. Some people's platelets lower with interferon. Mine didn't.

You're a smart cookie for looking into it early! Mine were 170 last year when diagnosed n I dropped to half that by April. The transplant hospital put me on tritherapy in July. They've gone down. It's a good idea to talk about what their plan is to rescue you in case.
While we appeal insurance for procrit, I'm getting transfusions. Good luck to you! Karen :)

You're a smart cookie for looking into it early! Mine were 170 last year when diagnosed n I dropped to half that by April. The transplant hospital put me on tritherapy in July. They've gone down. It's a good idea to talk about what their plan is to rescue you in case.
While we appeal insurance for procrit, I'm getting transfusions. Good luck to you! Karen :)

hello sir,i had a cbc and all of my blood results came perfect and in range, but the platelets count were 135 k/ul, where the normal range is (140 - 440 ), my doctor and the lab doctor said that there is nothing to worry about, this may be due to may things, its not a big deal, so should i be worried, cause im a little bit crazy about those stuff :) thanks

hello sir,i had a cbc and all of my blood results came perfect and in range, but the platelets count were 135 k/ul, where the normal range is (140 - 440 ), my doctor and the lab doctor said that there is nothing to worry about, this may be due to may things, its not a big deal, so should i be worried, cause im a little bit crazy about those stuff :) thanks

I recently had my blood test and they mentioned that my blood platelet count is less i.e., 120000 where 140-400 is the range of it. My age is 22 years. After that i had my blood test 2 times where the results are 105000 and 80000. Could any one of you suggest me the next steps to take like which doctor i have to consult?? Whether 80000 is very bad figure?? Any medicines or any treatment??

I recently had my blood test and they mentioned that my blood platelet count is less i.e., 120000 where 140-400 is the range of it. My age is 22 years. After that i had my blood test 2 times where the results are 105000 and 80000. Could any one of you suggest me the next steps to take like which doctor i have to consult?? Whether 80000 is very bad figure?? Any medicines or any treatment??

Does anyone know if HCV patients can take prednisone for low platelets? I didn't think to ask my doctor about that. I have never treated and was just informed that I am not eligible for any clinical trials because my platelets are too low. I am Geno 1A, stage 2+ (last platelet count 79,000). I am now just wondering if there is anything I can do to raise my platelets before I start the triple therapy.

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